Legal
Notice of Privacy Practices
This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed by Integrated Neurology & Pain Management, and how you can access this information. It explains your rights, your choices, how we may use and disclose your health information, our responsibilities and the additional protections of California law. It is effective January 1, 2026.
Effective date: January 1, 2026
Your information. Your rights. Our responsibilities.
This notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can access this information. Please review it carefully.
1. Your rights
When it comes to your health information, you have certain rights. This section explains your rights and some of our responsibilities.
Get a copy of your medical record
- You can ask to see or obtain a copy of your medical record and other health information we maintain about you.
- We will provide a copy or summary of your health information, usually within 30 days of your request, subject to applicable law.
- We may charge a reasonable, legally permitted fee.
Ask us to correct your medical record
- You can ask us to correct health information you believe is incorrect or incomplete.
- We may deny your request as permitted by law. If we deny it, we will explain why in writing.
Request confidential communications
- You can ask us to contact you in a specific way, such as by phone at a particular number, or to send mail to a different address.
- We will accommodate reasonable requests as required by law.
Ask us to limit what we use or share
- You can ask us not to use or share certain health information for treatment, payment, or health care operations.
- We are not required to agree to every request, except where the law requires it. For example, we must honor certain requests not to disclose information to a health plan when you have paid for a service in full out of pocket and the legal requirements are met.
Get a list of disclosures
- You can ask for a list of certain disclosures of your health information made during the six years before your request, subject to legal exceptions.
Get a copy of this privacy notice
- You can request a paper copy of this notice at any time, even if you have agreed to receive it electronically.
Choose someone to act for you
- If you have given someone medical power of attorney or if someone is your legal guardian, that person may exercise your rights and make choices about your health information as permitted by law.
File a complaint
- You can complain if you believe we have violated your privacy rights. You may contact us using the information at the end of this notice or file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- We will not retaliate against you for filing a complaint.
2. Your choices
For certain health information, you can tell us your preferences about what we share. You may tell us your choices about sharing information with family members, close friends, or others involved in your care or payment for your care. We may also disclose information when necessary to help with disaster relief.
If you are unable to tell us your preference, for example, if you are unconscious, we may share information when we believe it is in your best interest or when permitted by law.
We will obtain your written authorization for uses and disclosures of your health information that require authorization under applicable law. This generally includes most uses and disclosures of psychotherapy notes, marketing uses, and sales of health information, subject to legal exceptions. You may revoke an authorization in writing at any time, except to the extent we have already acted in reliance on it.
3. How we may use and disclose your health information
We may use and disclose your health information for the following purposes, as permitted by law.
Treatment
We may use and share your health information with physicians, other health care professionals, and facilities involved in your care to provide, coordinate, or manage your treatment.
Payment
We may use and disclose your health information to bill and collect payment from health plans or other responsible parties for services we provide.
Health care operations
We may use and disclose your information to operate our practice, improve the quality of care, train staff, conduct quality assessment activities, and manage business operations.
Appointment reminders and health-related communications
We may contact you about appointments, follow-up care, treatment alternatives, or other health-related services.
Business associates
We may share information with service providers who perform functions on our behalf, such as billing, electronic health records, secure data storage, or technology support. These service providers must agree to protect your information as required by law.
4. Other permitted or required disclosures
We may disclose health information when permitted or required by applicable law, including:
- As required by law: When federal, state, or local law requires disclosure.
- Public health and safety: For certain public health activities, reporting of abuse or neglect, or to prevent or reduce a serious threat to health or safety, as permitted by law.
- Health oversight: To authorized agencies conducting legally permitted audits, investigations, inspections, or licensing activities.
- Legal proceedings: In response to a court or administrative order, or certain subpoenas and other lawful processes.
- Law enforcement: For certain law enforcement purposes when legal requirements are met.
- Workers’ compensation: For claims and activities permitted by workers’ compensation laws.
- Research: When applicable legal requirements and safeguards are met.
- Coroners, medical examiners, and funeral directors: When legally authorized.
- Organ and tissue donation: For certain donation-related purposes when permitted by law.
- Government functions: For certain military, national security, correctional, or other government functions authorized by law.
Some types of health information, including substance use disorder treatment records governed by federal Part 2 regulations, mental health information, HIV-related information, and genetic information, may receive additional protections under federal or California law. We will follow the additional requirements that apply to the information involved.
5. Our responsibilities
We are required by law to:
- Maintain the privacy and security of your protected health information.
- Provide you with this notice describing our legal duties and privacy practices.
- Follow the terms of the notice currently in effect.
- Notify you if a breach occurs that may have compromised the privacy or security of your information when notification is required by law.
- Not use or share your information other than as described in this notice unless you authorize us in writing or the law otherwise permits or requires it.
We may change the terms of this notice, and the changes will apply to the health information we maintain. The updated notice will be available upon request and, as applicable, on our website.
6. California privacy protections
California law may provide additional privacy protections for medical information. We will comply with applicable federal and California confidentiality requirements, including any special restrictions on the use or disclosure of particular categories of information. When federal and California laws impose different requirements, we will follow the requirements applicable to the particular information and disclosure.
7. Questions, requests, or complaints
If you have questions about this notice, want to exercise your privacy rights, or wish to file a complaint with our practice, please contact:
Cezanne Bianco
Privacy Officer
Integrated Neurology & Pain Management
301 Lennon Ln, Suite 203
Walnut Creek, CA 94598
Phone: (707) 980-6636